The Girl Next Door, The Crime of Old
by gurl3677
Summary: Vincent meets and starts to date a girl.Alice becomes friends with her to try and break them up.Alice learns a secret about her and tells Vincent.Can he accept it or will it be too much and destroy everything he thought they had? Vincent/OC
1. Chapter 1

_* Please review even though this story is finished! I am redoing this story. You should see the movie, A Crime with Norman Reedus in it!*_

Vincent lightly jogged up the stairs to his apartment with Vicky at his side. She had just came in third place in her weekly race. It was cold so he just wanted to get into his place and warm up fast. He reached the top of the stairs and turned around to go to his place. He stopped walking right away. His door was blocked by a girl he had never seen. She was holding onto the end of a couch. She was looking into the apartment that shared a wall with his kitchen. Vincent had known someone was moving in but he hadn't realized moving day was that day.

' New neighbor's a girl. That's nice.' He thought.

" Nick! I can't hold this up forever! Pull it!" She called into the apartment.

" I'm trying!" A male voice called out.

" You are almost completely useless as a man! You should turn in your man card!" She snapped playful. Vincent cleared his throat and came forward.

" Hey, can I help you with that?" He asked, making the girl jump and look at him. She smiled and laughed slightly.

" That would be great. Thank you so much!" She said as she moved over to give him room. He looked down at Vicky. He quickly looped her lease around his belt loop. He tied it then moved beside her. He looked into her apartment and saw a blond guy at the other end of the couch.

" You ready, man?" He asked.

" Yeah." The guy said.

Vincent nodded and together, the three of them started moving the couch. They moved the couch over to the big window on the other side of the room and set it down gently. Her apartment looked just like his. Her living room was also the kitchen and dining room. If he had to guess, he'd say the two doors off to his left where her bedroom and bathroom. The wall on his right shared his kitchen.

" Thank you so much!" She explained as they straighten up. He smiled and unfastened Vicky's lease.

" No problem." He said. He took a quickly, deep breath and stuck out his hand to her. " My name's Vincent. I'm one of your neighbors." She smiled and shook his hand.

" Gabriella Collins." She said.

" My apartment actually shares this wall with you." Vincent said as they dropped hands. ' Fucking stupid thing to say. Real fucking smooth.' He cursed himself. He shouldn't be too hard on himself. He hadn't been with anyone since his wife was killed 3 years beforehand and he had been with her for 6 years.

" Oh, wow. Well that's cool." She said as she slipped her hands into her back pockets. " This is my friend, Nick." She motioned with her arm. Nick smiled and brought his hand out. The two guys shook hands and exchanged very male, ' how ya doing' greetings.

" Do you need help moving anything else? I could put my dog up and help you." He offered. She smiled and her green eyes sparkled.

" Well, it's mostly just boxes and a few chairs." Gabriella said.

" I'll just put Vicky in my apartment and I'll help you." Vincent said.

" Wow, okay, yeah. That would be great." She said.

" Alright, just give me two minutes." Vincent said. He turned and went out of her apartment. His door was directly to his left. He dug out his keys and quickly unlocked his door. He took off Vicky's lease then pushed her into the apartment. He shut and locked the door then faced them. " So where are you parked?"

It only took them an hour to finish bring up the rest of her stuff. Gabriella started up her coffee pot and offered to buy Vincent dinner. He declined but she insisted so he finally agreed. She ordered them some Chinese food and they sat around her table, talking. He found out Gabriella had moved to New York from Ohio and that she was going to be living alone. When he asked if Gabriella and Nick were dating they both got disgusted looks on their faces, making Vincent smile.

" I'm not his type." Gabriella said.

' How can she not be some one's type?' He thought. She was the first girl in a long time that spiked his attention. She was pretty and her smile was contagious.

" What type is that?" Vincent asked. Nick grinned.

" She doesn't the right equipment." He said with a wink to Vincent, tipping him off that Nick was gay. Vincent nodded his head and cleared his throat.

" Okay, I get it now." He said. Gabriella and Nick both smile and laughed.

After a while the food arrive and, after she paid for it, they sat around her table and ate together. She drank coffee while the boys had some beers she had bought earlier in the day. When they were done eating, she thanked him again for helping and he thanked her for the dinner then took his leave to his own place.

XXXXXX

It was around one in the morning when Vincent's phone went off. He jumped awake and stared into Vicky's brown eyes. At first he wasn't sure what woke him up until the phone went off again. He threw his blankets off and slipped out of bed. He crossed the short distance of his room to his kitchen/dining/living room and grabbed the phone as he ran his hand over his face.

" Hello?" His voice was low and rough from sleep.

" Is this Vincent Harris?" A voice asked.

" Yeah, who's this?" He asked.

" My name is Officer Grimes. Your girlfriend, Alice Jones, was in an accident . She's okay but she was drunk so we are holding her. Would you like to talk to her?" Officer Grimes asked. Vincent sighed and put one arm on the cabinet in front of him and rested his head on that arm.

" Yeah, I guess so." Vincent said as he closed his eyes. Alice was not his girlfriend and he was getting tired of bailing her out of her troubles. There was a few moments of silence before Alice's voice came over the phone.

" I didn't say I was your girlfriend." She said.

" So you're drunk." Vincent said.

" I drove my car into a perfume store and the perfume made me drunk." Alice said. He started shaking his head.

" You know, I can't keep doing this. I can't keep bailing you out of shit." He said.

" Just one more time." She said. He sighed again.

" I will be there in morning." He said.

" Vincent..." She started.

" No, Alice. It's one in the morning and I'm tired. I will be there first thing in the morning. It will give you time to sober up. Good night." Vincent said as he hung up his phone before she could complain.

He pushed away from the counter and went back into his bedroom. Vicky looked up at him and sighed. He smiled and crawled back under his blankets. He closed his eyes and reached out scratch his dog's side. After a few minutes, Vincent sighed and sat up again. He went out of his room and to the cabinet again. He opened it up and took out a small bottle of pills. After his wife had been killed he had a hard time sleeping so his doctor had given him some pills. Vincent popped one of the pills in his mouth and picked up the glass of water he had always sitting on the counter. He washed it down then went back to bed. He crawled in next to his dog and waited for the pill to take effect.

Gabriella crept back into his mind. When he had found out the empty apartment had been rented, he wasn't happy. He liked that he was alone in the corner of the building plus he was worried about who the neighbor would be. But Gabriella seemed nice enough and it didn't hurt that she was so pretty. Vincent laughed to him in the darkness. Yeah, she was pretty alright and he found himself looking forward to seeing her the next day.


	2. Chapter 2

_* Please Review! __**jds523: **__check out Gabriella's dad's name! lol*_

After Vincent bailed Alice out, they walked through the streets of New York together. He was pissed that she had dragged him into her trash again. She was digging through her purse for a smoke and her lighter as she rambled on and on. Finally, Vincent decided that he had just had enough. He stopped walking, making her pause and look at him.

" You have to stop doing this shit." He snapped. " I'm not always going to be there for you."

" Yes, you will." She said. " You know, I was going to rent that apartment beside yours. I wanted to knock down the wall between them and make one big apartment for us." He frowned as she started to light up her cigarette.

" Why the hell do you think I'd want to do that?" He snapped again.

" Because we are meant to be together." She said simply. Vincent shook his head as his frown deepen.

" There is something wrong with you. You need to stop pulling me into your shit or I'm going to move out. We are not dating. We are not meant to together. Just stop." He said before he walked away from her. He quicken his steps to his apartment building.

XXXXXX

Gabriella was sitting outside her apartment with her bag straps over her shoulder and across her chest. She was trying to lock her door but was having a hard time. She set her coffee cup down and fought her key. It didn't want to turn the lock and she was starting to get more and more pissed. She was cursing under her breath.

" Stupid, fucking key." She muttered. " Why won't you fucking lock, you stupid dick."

" Talking to it doesn't really help." Vincent's voice made her jump and looked up towards the stairs as he started towards her. He was smiling at her. Gabriella smiled and looked back at her door as she laughed.

" Yeah, I know. But it's pissing me off." She said as she continued to fight the key.

" Can I help you?" He asked. She stepped away and looked back at him.

" Please, be my guest." She said. Vincent smiled again and took a hold of her doorknob and the key. He pulled on the door then turned the key, locking it up tight. He pulled her key out and faced her with his smile still in place.

" Holding the door in helps." He said. She shook her head and quickly rolled her eyes. He held out her key to her.

" So this isn't going to be a thing between us, just so you know. I won't always need you to save me, I promise." She said as she took her key back. Vincent chuckled and put his hands into his pockets.

" It's okay. The building is old so I know the tricks to getting around." He said.

" So you help people move into their apartments and lock doors. Is there anything else you do around here?" Gabriella asked as he bent down and picked up her coffee cup. " Thanks." She said when he handed it to her.

" That's pretty much all I do. I move stuff and lock doors." He said. Gabriella laughed and put her key into her pocket.

" Well, thanks. I better get going to work." She said. He nodded as he searched for his key.

" I'll see you around." Vincent said.

" Yeah, I guess you will." Gabriella said as she started backing up. " Again, thanks for helping me."

" It's no problem. I'm right next door if you need anything else." He said.

She smiled and nodded before she turned and quickly moved to the stairs. When she started down them, she didn't look up at him so Vincent quickly went to the railing and looked down it to watch as she jogged down them. He shook his head and sighed. He moved back away from the steps and went to his own place. He slipped the key in and used his other hand to hold in his door before he turned it.

As soon as he opened his door, Vicky was there to greet him. He was jumping and whining slightly until Vincent shut the door and started petting him. He was miles away though. His mind was on his new, hot neighbor. He laughed to himself as he moved to the fridge. The building was mostly filled with old people and Alice so Gabriella was like a fresh breeze. She seemed nice and was very pretty. He was looking forward to seeing her. He may even ask her out, maybe.

XXXXXX

Gabriella walked into the prison and set her bag on the x ray scanner. She walked through the metal detector, saying hello to the officers working there. She had been coming there for 2 and 1/2 years so they knew her well and she knew them. She waited and chatted lightly with them every time she came to the prison. Sometimes she would bring them coffees or cookies. She smiled at the officers as they searched her bag and when she was cleared, she waved goodbye and continued on her way. She walked down the long hallway to the visitor's room and had a seat at her usual table.

It only took ten minutes before the prisoners began to fill in. She didn't stand up, he'd know where she was. Gabriella always sat at the same table when she came on Mondays. She wasn't even sure why she came. He was her dad but he was a bad man who killed people. They didn't even know all the names of the people he killed. He had told the police some of the names but refused to give up other names. She knew she didn't have to keep her promise to her dead mother but she did. It was the only thing the woman asked of Gabriella as she laying dying of cancer.

" He's your father. He can't help it if he has demons. Please, don't shut him out." She had asked. Gabriella had nodded and brought her mom's hand to her mouth.

" I promise, Mama. I will still see him." She said.

" Gabby!" Her father's voice pulled her out of her memory. He was the only one who called her Gabby and she hated that nick name. Everyone else called her Gabriella.

" Hey, Dad." She said. He leaned down and kissed her head, placing his hands on her shoulders. The same hands that strangled a girl around Gabriella's age. She struggled not to pull away from him. He always acted like she was visiting him at his house instead of prison.

" How's it going, kid?" He asked when he sat down across from her.

" Going good. I just moved into a new place." She said. Shane smiled at his only child.

" Oh yeah? You like it?" He asked. Gabriella shrugged.

" So far, yeah. I have only been there for one night so we will see." She said.

" Did you bring what I asked you for?" Shane asked. Gabriella nodded and opened her bag.

" Four magazines and a deck of cards." She said as she pulled the items out. He clapped his hands together.

" That's my girl!" He said. She slid them across the table to him.

XXXXXX

Gabriella trudged up the stairs later that afternoon. She didn't work on Mondays. Her visit with her dad always drained her and left her depressed so she took Mondays off. She pulled her key out as she reached the top step and turned. She started walking without looking up or paying attention and ran right into Vincent.

" Oh, shit!" She said as she stumbled. He reached out and grabbed her arm to help steady her.

" You okay?" He asked with a smile. Gabriella looked at him and shook her head with a smile.

" I'm sorry. I should have been paying attention to where I was going." She said.

" It's okay, I wasn't watching either." He said as he dropped his hand from her arm.

" Alright well, have a good day, again." She said. He moved to the side to let her pass.

" Yeah, you too." He said slowly as she walked away. He closed his eyes and rubbed his chin for a second. He shook his head and opened his eyes as he turned around. " Hey, you want to go get lunch with me?" He asked before he could stop himself. Gabriella turned around and tilted her head slightly, like she was thinking.

" Right now?" She asked.

" Well yeah. You don't have too. I mean, if you have other plans, it's cool. I just thought maybe you'd want to go. You look like you need some cheering up." He said. She laughed slightly as she nodded.

" I do, actually. Its been one of those days." She said.

" So you want to go? I know of a little place we could hit up." Vincent said. She put her key back into her bag and started towards him.

" Yeah. I don't really know much about the city so you have to lead." She said.


	3. Chapter 3

_* Please Review!*_

" So why did you move to New York?" Vincent asked as they strolled through the city. His hands were in his pockets while hers were crossed over her chest.

" I needed a change in scenery." Gabriella said.

" Where are you working?" He asked.

" At the museum. I restore old pieces of artwork." She said. " You?"

" I change the light bulbs on billboards." Vincent said. Gabriella smiled as she looked at him.

" Really? That's an awesome job." She said. Vincent chuckled.

" Well I don't know about that." He said in his casual draw.

" Oh no, it is. I don't think I could ever do that. They are so high into the air. Don't you get scared being that far from the ground?" She asked.

" Not really." Vincent said

As they walked Vincent was surprised at how amazed she seemed to be with his job. She kept asking him questions or pointing to a few billboards as they passed them, asking him if he had worked on them. He was amused at how excited she was. He had asked her a few questions about her job, which she answered, but she always managed to bring the questions back around to him.

When they reached the small place he wanted to take her to, he opened the door for her. She walked in then stood back for him to take the lead. He gave a waitress a short wave then mentioned for Gabriella to follow him to the back. He came to the diner so much, he had a place he always sat down. It was a booth in the very back. He sat down so he was facing the front.

" So the soup here is really good, if you like soup." He said. His elbows came to rest on the table top as he clasped his hands together.

" I actually do like soup." Gabriella said.

They ate and talked through the lunch, both surprised at how well they got along. He smiled and laughed with her which was something he hadn't done in a while. They kept the conversation light, talking about their jobs, the apartment building and his dog. He filled her in on the people in their building, leaving out Alice. He told her which days to use to the laundry room as to avoid a known panty stealer. He paid for lunch, stating that he had asked her to go out.

After lunch they continued to talk while they walked back to their building. Vincent was glad he had just blurted out the lunch invitation like he had. Gabriella was easy to get along with and he was grateful. He had worried that the date was going to be filled with weird and awkward silences but it was the opposite. The times they had fallen quiet, they were both comfortable with it. They were still talking as they climbed the stairs to their floor. When they rounded the stair railing, Vincent stopped dead in his tracks. Alice was leaning against his door. Gabriella looked from Vincent to Alice, then back again.

" Hey, Alice." Vincent said. He stuck his hand into his pocket and took out his key.

" Hello. I was going out for coffee. I was checking to see if you wanted any." She said.

" No, I'm actually good." He said. He lightly touched Gabriella's elbow and guided her forward at the same time Alice moved away from his door.

" Some other time then." She said.

" Sounds good." Vincent said. Alice did a quick once up and down on Gabriella which made Gabriella frown and move away from Vincent. He looked back at Alice as she reached the stairs. She smiled at him before she disappeared.

" Is she your girlfriend because she just gave me the nastiest look." Gabriella said with a frown. Vincent looked at Gabriella and quickly shook his head.

" No, she isn't. She would like to be but I'm not into her. She's just a friend." He said. Gabriella nodded, taking her own keys out.

" Alright." She said, sounding unconvinced.

" She's not." Vincent defended quickly. He didn't want Gabriella to think he had a girlfriend and again, he was surprised. " I swear."

" You don't have to defend yourself to me." Gabriella said, turning her back to him as she slipped her key into the lock at her door.

" She's not. I promise. She's barely a friend. Mostly I just help her out as she needs it. She doesn't really have anyone else." He said. Gabriella turned the key and opened her door.

" Okay." She stepped into her apartment then faced him slowly. " So thanks for lunch."

" She's honestly not my girlfriend." Vincent said, making her laugh softly.

" You don't have to keep saying that." She said.

" Yeah, okay." He said. " So I guess I will see you later." Gabriella nodded.

" Guess you will. Goodbye Vin." She said, closing the door.

She turned and faced her small apartment with a shake of her head. She walked over to her table and dropped her bag on it. Figures, just her luck. She meets a hot guy and he has a girlfriend or at least a crazy ex-girlfriend. She walked over to her couch and sat down, looking out of the window with a sigh. What was it with her and guys? Her last boyfriend had a wife and Gabriella hadn't found that fact out until five months into their relationship. A knock to her door brought Gabriella up again. She was frowning, figuring it was Vincent again. She did not really want to talk to him again. She was surprised to see the small, petite blond woman standing there.

" Hello. I should have introduced myself earlier. I'm Alice. I live across the courtyard." Alice said.

" My name's Gabriella."

" Welcome to the building." Alice said.

" Thank you." Gabriella said. She felt like the woman was sizing her up so it promoted her to blurt out the question. " Are you dating that guy?" Alice smiled and shook her head.

" No. We are just friends." She said. Gabriella smiled, feeling like a small weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

" Thank goodness because I thought you were and I was annoyed with him for asking me to lunch when he had a girlfriend. I have been down that road already." She said. Alice smiled and nodded.

" I need to go but I wanted to introduce myself. Let me know if you need anything." She said.

XXXXXX

Vincent was sitting on his couch, rubbing the top of Vicky's head with his head back. He was staring at the ceiling of his apartment, his thoughts swirling around. He wasn't sure why it bothered him that Gabriella thought he was dating Alice. He just met the girl. The last thing he needed was to date but he kind of liked her. She made him smile and laugh. He stood up to get something to drink when someone knocked on his door. He frowned, thinking it was Alice. He was surprised when he opened the door and saw Gabriella standing there.

" I need to say I'm sorry." She said.

" For what?" Vincent asked.

" Well, I really thought Alice was your girlfriend and it made me mad. See, I was kind of dating this guy, well, we were actually dating for a while when I found out that he was married. That was not something I really wanted to be around again. I thought you were lying and I'm sorry." She said. Vincent smiled and leaned against his door.

" It's cool. I understand." He said. Gabriella nodded and it was her turn to smile.

" Okay well, I just wanted to say sorry." She said as she backed away from his door. " Later." She said. She turned and grabbed her door knob.

" Have dinner with me tonight." What the hell was his problem? Why the hell was he blurting things out so much with her? Gabriella looked at him and her smiled brighten more.

" Okay. I'd like that. But I pay."

" 6?" He asked. Gabriella nodded.

" Sounds good." She said. " I'll see you then." With her smile still in place, she disappeared into her apartment. Vincent grinned.

" Hell yeah you will." He said to himself before he disappeared back into his place. He shut the door then faced Vicky. " I have another date. I need to shower." He said. He locked the door, then went to his bathroom and started up the water.


	4. Chapter 4

_* Please Review!*_

A few minutes before six found Vincent pacing in his tiny apartment. He was nervous and excited. He was questioning himself over and over again. What was he doing? Why was he doing it? Was it okay that he was going on a date with someone? His wife had been dead for three years so at some point he was going to have to move on with his life. He couldn't just sit around and not do anything. Ashley would never want that for him, Vincent knew that. Gabriella was the first girl in a long time that had gotten his attention and he really wanted to run with it, see where things could go.

" It's not like I'm asking her to move in with me." He said to himself. " It's just a date. A second date, actually." With a girl that had actually made him feel something when he had been dead for so long. He took a deep breath and looked back at his dog as he laid across Vincent's couch. " Wish me luck, Vicky." He said. He sighed and turned back around. He walked over to his door and opened it quickly. He shut his mind down as he locked the door and moved towards hers.

The date went better then he could have even hoped. They walked to the restaurant, talking non-stop, ate while talking and walked home, still talking. Vincent was shocked at how much fun he was having. She was easy to talk to and made him laugh. He found that he wanted to hold her hand and that shocked him as well. He knew he wanted to kiss her because he couldn't stop staring at her mouth. He had caught himself over and over again, staring at her lips and licking his own. He wanted to know what she tasted like.

At the end of the date, they walked slowly up the stairs because neither one was ready to end it even though it was nine at night. They reached the top and turned to stroll towards their apartments. Gabriella wanted to ask him to come in but didn't want to come off as a whore. She wasn't intending to sleep with him and didn't want him to think that.

Vincent wanted her to ask him in for a drink but didn't want to come off as a horny bastard. Sure, if she came on to him, he didn't think he'd turn her down. He knew he couldn't turn her down. He had last had sex two years ago. It had been a one night stand when he was feeling completely depressed about his life and it hadn't been that good. He had gotten off but he could give himself better orgasms then the girl he had been with had given him.

" So I had a really good time. Thank you." Gabriella said once they reached her door. " I haven't been out in a long time." Vincent smiled and put is hands in his pockets.

" I had a good time too." He said.

" Look, I really want to invite you in for a drink but I don't want you to get the wrong idea. I don't sleep with a guy on the first or second date." She said. Vincent chuckled softly.

" I'd love to have a drink with you and just a drink." He said. Gabriella seemed to relax then. She took her keys out of her bag and turned towards the door. She slipped the key in and quickly unlocked the door.

" So I have beer or I can make you a mixed drink." She said when they walked into her place.

" A beer's fine." Vincent said, closing the door behind him.

Vincent took a minute to look around. Her apartment was the same as his but it looked brighter, more cheerful, then his place. She had a light blue couch against the big windows at the back of the room. Her small table had a plain white table cloth on it. Sitting in the center of the table was a vase filled with mutli-colored daisies. His place looked run down and dark and depressed him. Her place was comfortable, warm, and relaxed him.

" Wow, it looks great in here." He said. " You painted the cabinets and walls." He said. Gabriella opened her fridge and grabbed out two beers.

" Yeah, I asked the land lord first. It was so dark in here and the space is so small. I thought the white cabinets and walls would make it took bright." She said when she faced him.

" It does. It looks huge. You replaced the light fixtures too." He said, taking the beer from her. The light that hung down over her table had a plain looking cover on it but she had replaced it with a bright blue one. " You should redo my place." He said as he followed her to her couch. Gabriella smiled and opened her beer.

" I can do that if you want." She said. He smiled, sitting down beside her.

" My place is so...it just needs something, I don't know what but something." Vincent said.

" Do you want to see my room? I did some work in there too." Gabriella said a second before her cheeks flushed. " I'm not just trying to get you get you into my room." Vincent laughed.

" I wasn't thinking that." He said. But he did want to see her room. He wanted to see her intimate space. He liked how embarrassed she seem to be. He hoped that meant she liked him the way he liked her.

" Well come on." She said, standing up and patting his leg.

He followed her through the room and over to her bedroom. She flicked the light on and he was surprised at how different her room looked from his. He had his mattress on the floor. Hers was sitting on a iron bed frame. His walls were a dingy cream color, hers were painted a beautiful blue. Her door frame and window frames were painted white. Her dresser was white and her bedspread was light purple. Her entire bedroom looked as her apartment did, comfortable, warm, and relaxing.

" Yeah, that's it. You are coming to my place then we will buy some paint and do my place up." Vincent said. " It looks great in here." Gabriella smiled.

" I'd love to help you." She said.

" You want to come over after work tomorrow? I will get home about 5:30. I need to walk my dog then you could come over. We could have dinner together." He offered.

" Sure." She said.

XXXXXX

Vincent was excited the entire next day. He couldn't wait to see her. Gabriella made him feel good. She cheered him up and made him forget he was supposed to be depressed. His heart and head felt lighter. He was planning on making her dinner while they planned on what to do with his place. When he had woke up in the morning, he had straight up, putting his clean clothes back into his dresser instead of leaving them in the basket. He gathered up his dirty clothes and shoved them under his bed then straighten up his blankets before leaving for work.

At 5:30 a knock came to Gabriella's door. She hurried out of her room and over to it. She looked through the peephole and smiled when she saw Vincent standing there. He was looking down and talking to something. She figured it was his dog and her smile grew. She opened her door and leaned against it as he looked up at her.

" Hi." She said.

" Hi. Would you like to go with me to take Vicky for a walk?" He asked.

" Yeah, sure. Just let me grab my jacket, come in." She said, stepping back. Vincent smiled and led Vicky into her place. She grabbed her hoodie and slipped it over her head then grabbed her keys.

" So I hope you like lasagna because it's actually all I can make." He said with a shrugged of his shoulders. Gabriella laughed as they walked out of her apartment.

" I actually love it." She said. She put her key in the door and pulled it tightly shut before locking it.

They took Vicky for a walk around the block twice before coming back to his place. On the second trip he slowly and carefully took her hand. Gabriella interlaced their fingers and moved closer to him. They slowed their pace down and talking quietly together. His heart was slamming in his chest and he couldn't keep the smile off his face.

The rest of the night went well. They ate, made plans for his place and stayed close together. They wrote down the plans then settled down on his couch, sitting so they were facing each other. His arm was on the back of the couch. Vincent took a deep breath before he reached out and started to play with her hair. He twisted his fingers around the strands while they talked. Vicky was sitting so he was leaning against Gabriella's legs. She was casually rubbing his head and smiling at Vincent.

They were so wrapped up in each other that they didn't notice Alice standing in front of her apartment building across from the court yard. She was going to take care of that girl. She had been watching Vincent since he moved into the building and there was no way a new girl was going to take him from her. She was the one who had put the time and effort being friends with him. Alice wanted to know what the hell was going on between them but knew Vincent would never tell her so she was just going to have be friends with Gabriella. She would get the girl to trust her then get rid of her quickly. Every one had something they wanted to hide. She would find out Gabriella's secret and use it to destroy her. Then Vincent would be all hers. Alice smiled and turned away. She left her apartment and headed out to the bar.


	5. Chapter 5

_* Please Review!*_

Three weeks after their first date Vincent asked Gabriella to come to Vicky's race with him. They had been having dinner together every night and spending as much time together as they could when they weren't working. They hadn't slept together or talked about if they were a couple or not. They hadn't kissed or moved past hugging and holding hands. Vincent wasn't sure how to move them forward. It had been so long since he had dated anyone.

He held Vicky's lease in his left hand and Gabriella's hand in his right one as they walked over to the race area on the beach. Vicky didn't do well in the races but she wasn't the worst either. As they approached the group of men Vincent called his friends. he let go of Gabriella's hand to shake some of their hands and decided right then and there how to move them along.

He put his hand on her lower back, smiled and introduced her as his girlfriend. Gabriella didn't correct him or seem mad. She smiled and shook the hands offered to her. Vincent then led her over to the side where they would watch the race together. He left her there to take Vicky to the start line then hurried over to return to Gabriella. He put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into him to shield her from the cold. She put her arms around his waist and let her head rest against his chest.

They watched together as the dogs run across the beach and to his surprise, Vicky crossed the finish line first. Vincent jumped up and got so excited he grabbed Gabriella and kissed her hard without thinking. His hands were on her face holding her against him. Gabriella's hands were at his sides. As soon as he realized what he doing, he pulled away quickly.

" I'm sorry." He said, staring down into her eyes.

Gabriella smiled and stepped up. She tilted her head and kissed him again. That night their relationship shot forward. They came home from the race and barely made into his apartment with their clothes on. Vincent shut Vicky out of his room then tackled Gabriella, knocking her backwards onto his bed and making her laugh. After that night they started alternating their nights, one night at his newly decorated place, the next at hers. Back and forth.

At their two month mark, Vincent let himself into her apartment after taking Vicky for a walk. He unhooked her lease and the dog took off for Gabriella. She was standing at the stove, stirring their dinner. She smiled down at Vicky when the dog nudged her leg. Vincent hung up her lease on the hook by Gabriella's keys then made his way towards his girlfriend. That was when he noticed a bruise on her neck. He swept her hair over her right shoulder. He placed his right hand on her hip.

" What happen here?" He asked softly as he touched her neck.

" It was nothing. I got in the middle of a fight." She said.

" A fight? How were you in the middle of a fight and why didn't you call me about it?" He asked. Gabriella sighed and swallowed hard.

" I think I need to tell you something." She said, taking the spoon from the saucer and setting it down. She turned slowly to face him.

" What's wrong?" Vincent asked.

" I think you should sit down." Vincent backed away from her with a frown.

" What's going on?" He said, sitting down at her table. Gabriella sat down across from him and reached down to pet Vicky.

" I got this bruise at the New York State Penitentiary." She said. Vincent's arms came to the top of the table.

" What the hell where you doing there?" He asked, clasping his hands together. Gabriella bit down into her lower lip, refusing to meet his eyes.

" I was visiting someone." She said softly.

" Who?" He asked. Gabriella closed her eyes and shook her head. Vincent took a hold of her hand. "Gabriella, you can tell me. It's okay." When she opened her eyes he could see tears in them.

" My dad." Vincent let his fingers rub against her hand. They were making small circles around the top of her hand.

" What did he do?" Vincent asked gently. He could tell how uncomfortable she was. Gabriella pulled her hand away from him and stood up. Vincent sat back and watched as she started getting their dinner ready.

" Ah...he killed some people." She said with her back to him.

" Holy shit." Ashley flashed into his mind. " How? How many?" Gabriella reached up and grabbed to plates down from the cabinet. She had taken the doors off the cabinets so they had an open plan.

" He has only admitted to five but he has hinted that there was more." She said. Vincent stood up and walked over to her.

" Babe, sit down. Let me do this." He said. " Just relax." She gave him a weak smile but moved back to the table.

" He strangled them. Three woman and two men. He has been in prison for the last two and a half years. He confessed to my mom. She convinced him to turn himself in and it went from there. He is in for life." She said.

" You visit him Mondays, don't you? Mondays you are always a little depressed, not your usual upbeat self." He said, plating the stir fry she had made them.

" Yeah. Today a fight broke out. One of the inmates started it. I got in the way of a chair being thrown." She said.

" What's his name?" Vincent asked. He turned back around and moved to the table.

" Shane Welsh." Vincent's head snapped up. He knew that name, every one did. He had made the news. Vincent had actually wondered if he had killed Ashley but had been told that Shane's MO didn't match how Ashley was killed. He strangled people, she was shot in the head.

" Your last name isn't Welsh." He said, sitting down across from her.

" It was but after his name was splatter all over the place, I legally changed my last name to my mom's maiden name. I hate him." Gabriella said. She started stirring the stir fry because she couldn't meet his eyes. She knew how people viewed her dad.

" Then why visit him?" Vincent asked.

" Because my mom's dying wish was that I start seeing him. She loved him. She felt like he was remorseful for what he did, that it wasn't his fault. He was never violent with us. He was actually a very good dad and husband. But when I found out what he had done, that he had actually killed a girl my age, I just lost everything I felt for him." Gabriella admitted. Vincent reached out for her again, making her look at him.

" I'd like to go on the visits with you. You shouldn't have to go alone." Gabriella forced a smile.

" You don't have to." She said.

" No, I don't but I want too. Maybe if you don't feel like you have to do it alone you might feel better about going." He said. " I'll take Monday off. We'll go see him then do something fun, okay?" Gabriella nodded.

" Thank you." She said. He squeezed her hand and smiled.

" So why haven't you ever told me about him?" He asked. Gabriella shook her head and shrugged.

" I guess I was scared of what you would think. I thought you might not want to be with someone whose dad killed people. That's some pretty serious baggage to deal with."

" We all have baggage." Vincent reassured her.

After they ate, they took Vicky for a walk. Gabriella told Vincent that she had been hanging out with Alice. He wasn't happy about it but Gabriella just thought the young woman needed a friend. Vincent told her a few things about Alice's past, the trouble she had been in, the drinking habit, but it just made Gabriella want to be her friend more. She felt bad for Alice.

Later that night, after they had gone to bed, Vincent was laying on his back with Gabriella against his chest. Her back was against his chest and her head was tucked up under his. They were holding hands with their hands resting against the bed on either side of his head. They were rubbing their fingers together. Gabriella's eyes were closed as he rubbed his chin against the top of her head. He was staring at the ceiling.

" I have a confession." He said.

" And what's that?" She asked.

" I was married for six years." He said. Gabriella sat up and turned to look at him.

" You never told me that." She said. Vincent nodded as he reached up and twisted some strands of hair around his fingers. " What happen? Did you guys get a divorce?" Vincent shook his head.

" She was killed. I found her in our house, shot in the head." He said

" Oh my God. I'm sorry. What was her name?"

" Ashley." Vincent said. They stared at each other for a few minutes before he pushed himself up. He put his hand on the back of her neck and brought his head to hers. He kissed her then rested his head against hers. " See, we all have baggage." He whispered. " Do you still want to be with me?"

" Yes." She whispered.

" And I still want to be with you. You're the first person since Ashley's death to make me feel something and I don't want to lose that. I kind of care about you a lot so let's not hide things from each other again. I'm not going to judge you for what he did, okay?" Gabriella nodded.

" Okay." She said. He smiled and pulled away from her to look at her face.

" Come on, I think I know something we can do that just might make us feel better." Gabriella laughed as he pushed her back. He laid over her and started kissing her neck. " I think I know where I can touch you to make you forget the pain."

" Oh yeah? Where's that?" Gabriella asked at the same time his hand slipped into her cotton shorts. Her eyes went shut as her back arched and she moaned out. His finger slipped down the center of her. He gathered up some of her wetness and started to rub slow, slow circles around the top of her.

" Right here." He whispered. " Feels good, huh?"

" Oh yeah." She whimpered. " So good." He smiled before he sucked her skin into his mouth.


	6. Chapter 6

_* Please Review!*_

Monday came around fast. Vincent held Gabriella's hand tightly as he drove them to the prison. When they had woke in the morning he could really see the tension she was feeling. He pulled her into the shower and rubbed her shoulders under the warm water. She kept her eyes shut while he washed her. His hands worked through her hair. When she backed up into him, and felt the effect of the shower was having on him, Vincent started saying he was sorry but Gabriella just smiled. She surprised him when she turned and took his hard length into her hand. Afterwards, while she was finishing getting ready, Vincent made them breakfast. They ate, talking quietly, then started off to the prison.

Because only family could visit Shane, Vincent was listed as his son-in-law. The guards were checking her bag congratulated her on her wedding. Vincent smiled and played the part of her husband well since they had talked about it a head of time. He shook the guards hands and said his thanks then they were allowed to head off to the visitor's area.

When the door to the back opened, Gabriella stood up, making Vincent stand. He put his hand on her lower back and started to rub his fingers back and forth to help calm her. The prisoners started to file in, one by one. All were shackles with chains on their wrists, around their waist, leading down to their ankles. Her dad was the fourth one in. He grinned as he came towards her.

" Gabby." He said.

" Hello, Dad." She said when he reached her. They leaned forward and he kissed her cheek.

" So the guards tell me you got married." He said as they sat down.

" Well no, Vincent just wanted to come in with me and you couldn't if he wasn't family. We are just dating." Gabriella said. "Vincent, this is my dad, Shane. This is Vincent Harris." Her dad's eyebrows up suddenly.

" Harris?" He asked. Gabriella frowned and looked at Vincent then back at her dad.

" Do you two know each other?" She asked. Shane smiled back at her.

" No, sweetheart. I just used to know someone with that last name. So tell me, how are things?" He said.

The visit lasted forty-five minutes. Gabriella stayed tense the entire time even though Vincent rubbed against her shoulder with one hand and her leg with his other one but Shane didn't seem to notice. He chatted and smiled with her while she gave him one word answers and only gave him small amounts of information on her life and job. Vincent was surprised at how checked out her dad was when it came to her emotions. Vincent knew her entire life and could read her emotions like a book and he had only known her for two months. Shane just carried on like they were having Sunday dinner together.

Once back in his truck, Vincent took her hand again. Gabriella sighed and leaned back in the seat. She needed peace and quiet, he could tell, so he was going to give it to her. She closed her eyes as he drove. He was rubbing her fingers with his. The visits always took a lot out of her so he was going to take her to lunch and to an ice skating rink. She had once said that she had never went ice skating but had always wanted too.

" You okay, Babe?" He asked.

" Yeah." She said.

" So he calls you Gabby. Is that your nick name? Should I be calling you that? I always just call you Gabriella or Babe or Baby." Vincent asked. Gabriella looked at him and shook her head.

" No. I hate that nick name. Only he calls me. You are fine." She said. Vincent nodded and they fell into silence again. She turned and looked back out the window.

" I have something planned for us, something I think you are really going to enjoy." He said. Gabriella laughed quietly.

" Oh yeah? What is that?" She asked.

" I am taking us ice skating." He grinned when her head whipped around and she squeezed his hand hard.

" What?" She asked.

" I looked around and found a place that we could rent skates and that is where we are going. Then I'm taking you to lunch at a really nice place overlooking a lake." Vincent said.

" Are you serious?" Gabriella asked. Vincent chuckled.

" Sure am, Babe. After that we can do whatever you want. This day is about you." He said. Gabriella leaned across the truck and put her hands lightly on his neck. She gently kissed his cheek.

" You are the best boyfriend, you know that?" She asked. Vincent smiled and slipped his arm around her shoulders. She settled down into him, letting one of her arms come across his waist.

" I'm trying." He said. Gabriella smiled and squeezed him.

They only stayed on the ice at the rank for an hour before both decided to give up. One of them was always falling, taking the other down with them. Either Gabriella would land on top of Vincent, or he would fall onto her. After they made sure neither one was hurt, they would laugh. It was one fall that landed Vincent on his back with Gabriella across his stomach, laughing, when Vincent realized how much he really liked and cared about her. He realized that he could easily, and quickly, fall in love with for her. He had ran his hand through her hair, making her turn and smile at him.

" This isn't as easy as I thought it was going to be." She said. Vincent smiled.

" Are you having fun?" He asked.

" Yeah. You?" She asked.

" Yeah but my ass is getting cold so get up." He said, making her laugh again.

" Let's go and get some lunch." Gabriella said as she carefully stood up.

" You sure, Babe?" He asked.

" Yeah."

After lunch they took their time driving back to the city. They talked some of the way, the other time they just enjoyed the scenery. When they pulled into the city, Gabriella slipped over to his side of the truck and started kissing against his neck. He shivered and chuckled, knowing she was going to tease him. He wasn't letting himself get worked up until she started to run her hand up his inner thigh.

" Driving, Babe." He warned. Her tongue traveled up his neck and looped behind his ear. " Damn, girl." He whispered. " I'm fucking driving."

" I know." She said. Her voice was a hot whisper in his ear. She let her teeth scrape against his ear lobe at the same time she undid his pants.

" Babe, come on." He said.

" I love it when your voice gets so rough and low. It means you are getting turned on." She said.

" Well yeah, you're breathing in my ear, licking me, and..." He sat straight up as she took him out of his boxers. " Gabriella, don't." He warned but his voice ended in a moan as she started to stroke him.

" Oh you don't like this? Okay." She leaned down.

" Gabriella, please, don't. Not why I'm driving." His hands gripped his steeling wheel hard as she took him straight into her warm mouth. " Oh God, you're doing it." He groaned out.

She would have smiled and laughed but her mouth was busy. She flicked her tongue over his head then started down him slowly. He groaned out again as his hips jerked. Gabriella closed her eyes tight while she moved back up his length. His breath caught loudly. Swirl then back down. She moved as slowly as she could on him, letting her tongue licked and move against him. She was enjoying herself as much as he was enjoying it.

" Shit! Get off me!" Vincent said quickly. Gabriella increased her pace on him but one of his hands grabbed at her shoulder. " Get off me, I'm getting pulled over!" Gabriella sat up quickly and looked behind them to see the lights of a cop car.

" Why?" She asked as he frantically tried to adjust his pants.

" I swerved." Vincent said. He threw his truck into park as he continued to work at his pants.

" Why the hell were you swerving?" Gabriella asked.

" Because you were sucking my dick!" He snapped. Gabriella started to laugh which made Vincent smile. " It's not funny! What the hell am I supposed to tell him?"

" Excuse me, Sir. Do you know why I pulled you over?" The officer asked as he came up to the window.

" Officer, " Gabriella started.

" Gabriella, don't." Vincent warned.

" It was my fault he swerved and I'm sorry." She said sweetly.

" What?" The cop asked.

" I had a tough day and he took me to all these great places to make me feel better so I was just repaying him." She said. The cop frowned as Vincent blushed and closed his eyes.

" Please just give me a ticket so I can go die somewhere." Vincent said. The cop tipped his hat to them.

" You know what, I'm going to give you a warning. Keep that stuff in the bedroom. You two hurry home now." He said as he backed away from them.

XXXXXX

Alice was just coming down the stairs and was going to stop by Vincent's door when he heard Vincent and Gabriella laughing. She backed up the steps and sat down there they couldn't see her. They had their arms around each other as they made their way to his apartment. Their heads were together as they laughed.

" So I can't believe you telling him you were sucking me off got me out of a ticket." Vincent said as he took his keys out.

" We are just lucky it was a male cop." She said. She moved to stand in front of him and slipped her arms around his neck. She giggled as she pulled him down to her and kissed him as deep as she could. Vincent moved forward to press her against his door. He picked her up and pinned her to the door. Alice watched as his hips started to moved against Gabriella. He groaned out as he kissed his way down her neck.

" We need to get inside." He whispered, struggling to get his key in the lock.

" We need to get you inside me." Gabriella said with her head tilted back.

" Fuck yeah we do." He whispered. Gabriella opened her eyes and jumped at the sight of Alice who scrambled to stand.

" Alice, hi." Gabriella said. At the mention of her name, Vincent looked behind him and let Gabriella slip to the ground. " We didn't see you." Alice plastered a fake smile on her face.

" I was just headed out." She said. Vincent finally put his key in the lock and turned it. " Would you like to get coffee with me?"

" We're in the middle of something." Vincent said as he pushed his door open.

" Call me tomorrow, Alice. We can get lunch on my break." Gabriella said as she let Vincent's arm wrapped around her waist. She started to laugh as he pulled her into the apartment.

" That sounds nice." Alice said.

" Good bye." Vincent said before he buried his mouth into Gabriella's neck and shut the door of the apartment.


	7. Chapter 7

_* Please Review! Caffiend04, this is for you! I was trying something different, not putting in sex scenes and you called me out on it! Lol! Here you go!*_

Gabriella's hands were on Vincent's face while his were planted on her hips. He was pushing her back and into his room while they made out. He had been growing out his goatee because she liked to play with it so it was brushing against her skin while she sucked his tongue. He squeezed her hard and groaned out. His breath was hard and fast as it moved against her cheek. He pulled back to kiss down her neck.

" I don't like you hanging out with Alice." He whispered.

" Really? Right now you want to talk about Alice?" Gabriella asked with her eyes shut. He sucked in her pulse point. " Get Vicky out of the room." She ordered. Vincent let her skin slip from his mouth before he pulled away from her.

" Get in bed." He ordered with his voice rough. She laughed as he turned and pushed his dog out of the room. He shut his bed room door then stripped off his coat. When he turned back around Vincent saw Gabriella was quickly shredding her clothes.

" What are you staring at, pervert?" She playfully snapped. Vincent smiled then pulled off his grey tee shirt.

" Did you have a good time today?" He asked, starting towards her.

" I did and it's about to get better." Gabriella said.

" Yeah, it is." Vincent took a hold of her and pulled her close. " You drive me crazy." He said, bring his mouth down to her neck again. " You own me, you know that?"

" Hurry up and get out of your clothes and you can own me." Gabriella whispered. She felt him smile against her.

When he had her completely undressed, and his clothes were mixed in with hers, he laid over her in the center of his bed. His hands were traveling through her hair while they were kissing again. She was trying to move her hips so she could take him in but he was shifting just out of her reach. She brought her hands down to take a hold of him but Vincent grabbed her wrists and pinned her to the bed. Gabriella whined in protest, making him laugh against her mouth.

" Come on. I'm ready." She whispered.

" Not yet you're not." He whispered.

Vincent started to kiss his way down her face, to her shoulders and collarbone. He nipped against her skin, making her hips raise up as she tried to reach him. He moved down her body, sucking and licking while letting his hands slip from her wrists. He sucked hard against her right breast. He ran his tongue around and over her nipple before he moved to her left side. He attacked it, nipping, sucking and licking it until she arched her back. He sucked in her ribs and squeezed her hips. Vincent moved down her stomach. He kissed his way around her belly button and the piercing there.

" Vin," She whispered hard.

" Told you, Babe. This day is all about you." He whispered, bring his hands to her thighs. He pushed her legs apart at the same time he sucked in the skin just above her small patch of soft curls. Her hands came down under the blankets and to his shoulders. " My hair." He whispered. " Touch my hair. Run your fingers through it."

He loved it when she did that. When they watched TV or laid in bed together, she played with his hair. It was longer then he usually had it but she loved it. She would push it to the side of his head, or run her fingers through the back to spike it up and it always relaxed him. When they were in playing together, she'd pull it. The harder she pulled it, the more turned on she was. The harder the tugs the more turned on Vincent got.

He brought his left hand to her and opened her gently. He let the tip of his tongue glide along the top of her. Gabriella's hands tighten in his hair. He tasted down the right side of her, around her opening and back up the left side. She moaned his name and it pushed him along. He let his tongue form an U shape and started to rub the top of her. She was completely enclosed in him. Her legs opened more and she cried out. Vincent sucked her into his mouth, working his mouth as slowly as he could. She begged him to stay there, begged him to keep going. He let her slide from his mouth, making her trembling and arch again. He swirled his tongue around her swollen clit the way she had swirled around his dick. When she started to shake hard, he moved up her petite body and entered her hard. Gabriella's arms went around his neck at the same time he thrust. His mouth came to her neck. Gabriella squeezed her eyes shut and raised her hips up.

" Harder." She begged out. He loved that she was so vocal in bed. She told him what she wanted and how she wanted it. There was no guessing when it came to Gabriella and sex and that made things easy for him.

He gave her just what she wanted. He hit her hard, worshiping her neck and shoulders with his mouth until the sensations started to overwhelm him. His forehead came to rest against her shoulder while they moved together. It was hard, it was hot, and it was just what she wanted. His hands grabbed a hold of the top of his bed. His knees came up, pushing her legs opened farther still, giving him more room to work. Just when he thought he couldn't make another thrust, when he knew it was ending for him, when the orgasm was getting ready to shoot straight out of him and into her, Gabriella clamped her arms tight around him. Her legs went around his waist with her heels digging into his ass and she called out her own orgasm.

He pushed into her one last time. Her inner muscles milked him, pulled at him. Her body drank down his orgasm that was pouring and pulsing through her. Vincent's hair was matted with sweat. His hands were so tight on his bed that his knuckles were white. His mouth was open and his eyes were shut tight. He felt like he was going to cum forever.

When the orgasm left him, he collapsed on top of her. Gabriella's body completely relaxed around him. She gave one final moan while they both struggle to breath. He turned his head against her chest so he could listen to her heart racing. Yeah, he was falling for her. After Ashley had died, Vincent thought he would be alone forever and he was okay with that. Now that he had found Gabriella, he was never going to let her go. He had been given a second chance and he was going to make the most of it.

" Can we order in for dinner? I am to relaxed to cook or go out." She said, making him laugh.

XXXXXX

Gabriella washed her hands up the next day before she left to meet Alice for lunch. She was still smiling and flushed from the evening her and Vincent had had. They had ordered dinner from bed, ate it in bed, then explored each other over and over again. It had been the best Monday she had had since her dad went to jail. She started to grinned as she walked. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and sent him a quick message.

' Thinking about you.'

' Thinking about you.' Vincent's reply came almost right away. ' Are you really going out with Alice?'

' Yes.'

' Gabriella, she's not stable. Come and meet me instead.' She smiled down at her phone.

' I can't break my plans with her. That would be so rude. Besides, I don't think she's weird, just lonely.'

' No, Babe, she's not stable. She's always getting into trouble and wanting me to take care of it.' He sent.

' You can take care of me.' Gabriella knew how Vincent felt about Alice but Gabriella didn't have a lot of friends in the city and she kind of like Alice. She was quiet and didn't expect a lot of her Gabriella.

' And I will. Just like I did last night.'

XXXXXX

" So you and Vincent are still getting along well." Alice said as she felt her coffee cup in between her hands. Gabriella smiled and laughed.

" Ah yeah. He is amazing." She said.

" He's a good man. I am glad to see him moving on. I didn't think he would ever be able too when I first met him. He was so destroyed after his wife was killed." Alice said.

" He showed me some pictures of her. She was beautiful." Gabriella said. She picked up her fork and gathered up some of her salad.

" I used to think that if he found her killer he could move on with his life. But now I think, if he found out who it was, he would lose his mind again. I think he has almost forgotten the pain her death caused him, thanks to you." Alice said. Gabriella smiled again. " He seems to adore you."

" Well I adore him." She said. Alice took a drink then set the cup down. She started to stir her soup.

" Yes, I think you do."

" You know, I know a couple of single guys at work. I could set you up. We could do a double date." Gabriella said. Alice smiled.

" That would be nice." She said. " Thank you. I would like to have my own love affair. Maybe I could find one as great as you and Vincent have found."


	8. Chapter 8

_* Please Review! And next chapter the drama will start! I love your guys comments and reviews. I love reading as you guys guess what her secret is and what alice is really going to do.*_

" Babe! I just don't see why we have to go out on their date." Vincent said as he adjusted his tie while walking out of her bedroom. It was three weeks after Vincent had first met her dad and he had been coming with her on the other visits.

" First dates are tough." Gabriella called out from the inside of her bathroom. She had locked herself inside the bathroom to get ready. The bathroom was right next to her room.

" Yeah but we managed to go out on ours just fine and look at us now." Vincent said. He was wearing a pair of nice jeans and a light grey button shirt. His tie was a dark grey color.

" It's just a double date, Vin, you will be fine! Plus, I already promised to repay you if you are nice!" She called out. Vincent sat down at her table and bend down to rub Vicky's head. Whenever he slept over at her apartment, he always brought his dog.

" Are you ready yet? I don't understand why I couldn't see the dress." He said. The door to the bathroom opened but she didn't step out.

" Where are you?" Gabriella asked.

" At the table. Why?" He asked. Gabriella stepped out and his hand froze on Vicky's head as he took her in. " Holy hell." He said softly as he sat back after a few minutes.

Gabriella was wearing a tight, plain, black dress with thin, spaghetti straps. It was low cut and stopped two inches above her knees. Her legs were bare and she was wearing a pair of 4 inch, thin heeled black heels. Her hair was parted to the right side of her head. She had straighten it and was wearing a little sliver bracelet, necklace, and earrings. Her hands smoothed down the dress as a look of uncertainty went over her face.

" What? Why are you staring at me? Do I look stupid?" She asked. Vincent stood up straight.

" Do you look stupid? Are you fucking serious?" He asked as he started over to her. He walked around her, taking her in slowly. " You. Look. Amazing. Like, wow. Where have you been hiding that?" He placed his hands on her hips and let them trail around her as he continued to circle her.

" I just bought it. Is it too tight? It feels too tight. I should change." Gabriella said. Vincent grabbed her and pulled her against him.

" No." He said quickly. " Don't change. I so can't wait to come home." He grinned as he started push her to walk backwards. Gabriella smiled and put her hands on his shoulders. " Cuz, damn girl, you are smoking and I am already planning on taking you first in with the dress on and second with just the heels." He lowered his head down to kiss her neck at the same time her back came to her door.

" Don't start, Vin." She said although her eyes were already closing. " We need to leave." He was rubbing himself against her so she could feel how bad he wanted her.

" Come on, Baby. Let's skip it. I'll make it worth it to you." She laughed and pushed him lightly at his shoulders.

" We have to go. It would be rude to skip." He groaned and sighed but pulled out of her neck.

" Just dinner then. No dessert or drinks afterwards. Dinner, home, sex, sex, bed." Gabriella laughed again but was nodding.

XXXXXX

During dinner with Alice and Gabriella's friend from work, Jonathan, Vincent would rub Gabriella's leg under the table or put his arm around the back of her chair to rub her shoulder. Gabriella and Alice talked, Vincent and Jonathan talked, the group talked together. Jonathan and Alice seemed to get along well. When they were talking, Vincent leaned over to his girlfriend. He tucked his fingers around her strap and slipped it down her arm slightly. He kissed her shoulder, making her looked at him. He sucked in her skin and raised his eyes to look at her. Gabriella smiled and tilted her head down to his so their foreheads were resting together. They closed their eyes while he planted soft, slow kisses against her shoulder, both missing the looks Alice was sending them.

After dinner, when the couples walked outside, Vincent placed Gabriella directly in front of him while they all talked. His left hand was on her hip, squeezing her, while his right hand was stroking her right arm. Alice was standing by Jonathan. He asked her if he could walk her home since they were only a few blocks from their apartment building.

" Would you like to walk with us?" Alice asked Gabriella and Vincent. She noticed how tightly Vincent's hand squeezed Gabriella's hip.

" No." Vincent answered quickly. " We are going to take a cab."

" It was nice to meet you, Vincent." Jonathan said, extending his hand out. Vincent smiled as the two men shook hands.

" You too, Man." He said.

" I will see you in the morning." Jonathan said to Gabriella.

XXXXXX

Four months into their relationship, Gabriella was coming home from the store on a Sunday night. Vincent was waiting for her at her place. He had sent her out for a bottle of wine while he said he would order them dinner. Jonathan and Alice had been seeing each other for a month and a half. Jonathan had told Gabriella he thought they doing well although he had never been to Alice's place. They spend their time together at a small bar downtown or at his place. Alice didn't say much about him to Gabriella so she didn't push it.

Gabriella grabbed her door knob and opened the door to a semi dark apartment. She dropped her bag to floor as Vincent looked up from the table with a smile. He had two long candles on her table and was in the process of lighting one. He had already light the first one. He had set the table and had their dinner already on the plates, waiting for her.

" What is this?" She asked, shutting the door behind her.

" Well, I can't come with you tomorrow to see your dad so I thought I'd do something special for you tonight." He said. He blew out the match then walked over to the sink to drop it in as Gabriella came over to the table in complete amazement.

" This is beautiful. I don't even know what to say." She said. Vincent smiled and joined her at the table.

" Sit down." He took the wine from her and opened it quickly. " I made the chicken you like. Baked it in the french onion stuff then brought it over here as soon as you left."

" So you made this planned all along. That's why you didn't go with me to take Vicky for the walk." Gabriella said, sitting down. Vincent smiled as he poured their drinks.

" I had to get the chicken ready and in my oven." He said.

They ate and talked together. Vincent's lease was going to be up in three months but hers still had eight months to go. Vincent wanted to move in with her but was nervous on how to ask her. They hadn't started saying the I Love you's, although he was more then ready to say it. He couldn't say if she was but he thought she was. She looked at him and smiled in ways that made him feel like she loved him.

" I have been thinking about something." Vincent started, taking his seat across from her.

" And what's that?" Gabriella said. She picked up her fork and knife to cut the chicken but stopped and looked at him when he didn't speak. He was playing with his napkin which was sitting on the table and not looking at her.

" My...ah...lease is going to be up soon so I was thinking...we should move in together. We go back and forth between this place and mine, we have keys to each other's place, some of my clothes are here, yours are at my place. I just think it would be..."

" Yes." She said quickly, making him look at her.

" Are you sure?" Vincent asked. She smiled and nodded. He grinned and reached across the table to her. Gabriella took his hand and smiled too.

" Yes. I'm sure. We can get a storage unit to put your stuff in until my lease is up then we can get a bigger place." She said quickly. Vincent squeezed her hand hard.

" I love you so much." He blurted out without thinking. Gabriella held her breath at the same time his eyebrows went up. " I mean...I just..." His cheeks were flushed and he started to take his hand away from her.

" I love you too." She rushed.

" Are you sure? About everything? I'm sort of hitting you with a lot of things right now." Vincent said. Gabriella stood up and walked over to him. She slipped down onto his lap and slipped her arms around his neck.

" I'm sure. I want to live together. I love you. I'm completely sure about it all." She said. He hugged her tightly.

" You are an amazing girl, you know that?" He said into her hair. He sighed then started to rub her back. " Come on, let's eat then take Vick for a walk."


	9. Chapter 9

_* Please Review!*_

" You are alone today, Gabby?" Shane asked as he sat down across from his daughter the next day.

" Yes. Vincent had a really busy day today and couldn't come with me." She said.

" Did he know an Ashley Harris?" Shane asked, making her frown.

" That was his wife but she was killed three years ago." Gabriella said. Shane sighed and nodded slowly. Gabriella's face fell as the world suddenly grew smaller. She shook her head. " No, Dad, please tell me you didn't." His mouth went tight as he nodded again. " But she was shot."

" I was driving the cab back then, remember? I brought her back to their house with this puppy she had bought for him. I walked her in because she didn't have enough money for the fare but had the money in the house. I saw her name on an envelope sitting on a table inside the house."

" Dad, don't." Gabriella whispered as she shook her head harder.

" I don't know what came over me. I just attacked her. I shot her and left. I told your mother that night what I had been doing. I couldn't believe I had actually shot someone. I got scared, Gabby." Gabriella stood up quickly as tears started down her face. " Gabby, please try and understand. I was out of control."

" Gabriella." She said sharply.

" What?" Shane asked.

" My name is Gabriella, not Gabby!" She shouted, making a few look up at them.

" Gabriella, sit down!" Shane ordered. She was shaking her head as a guard started towards them.

" I hate you!" She yelled.

" Gabriella, are you okay? Is there a problem?" The guard asked.

" I am never coming to see you again. You are disgusting. You are a sick man and you deserve to spend your life here." She said, staring down hard at her dad.

As she drove home, she had to stop a few times when the tears became too much. She had no idea how Vincent was going to take the news that her dad was the one who killed Ashley. She wasn't sure how to tell him either. At the same time she would normally get out of the prison her phone started to ring. She looked down and saw his number. She wiped her eyes quickly and answered it.

" Hello." She said.

" Ah, Baby, was it a bad visit?" Vincent asked. Gabriella started to cry harder.

" I'm done, Vin. I'm just done. I hate him." She said.

" Pull over until you calm down. You shouldn't drive when you're crying like this." Vincent said.

" I'm okay." She said as she took a shaky breath.

" Do you want me to come and pick you up at home? You can do my runs with me." He offered, making her smile through the tears.

" No. I'm just going to take Vicky for a walk then lay in your bed and watch movies until you come home." She said. " I just want to be around your stuff." Vincent chuckled softly.

" You put on one of my shirts then when I get home I'll cheer you up." He said. " We'll make popcorn and watch every episode of season 2 of The Walking Dead. You can drool over Daryl Dixon and I won't even complain or talk shit about him."

Gabriella laughed despite everything that was going on. She loved zombies and she loved Daryl Dixon. Vincent couldn't stand him. When he figured out Gabriella's little crush on him, Vincent had refused to watch the show in peace and quiet. Whenever Daryl came on screen, Vincent made sure to point out his flaws. He also stopped watching The Boondock Saints with her for the same reason. He now hated Murphy MacManus.

" I'm okay now." She said.

" Damn, talking to me doesn't cheer you up but just hearing his name does? Fuck Norman Reedus. You know, he lives in New York." Vincent said.

" Trust me, I know." She said, making him laugh.

" Alright, Babe, I have to go. If I come home and find him in bed with you...it's not going to be pretty." He warned.

" It will just be me and Vicky." She promised.

" You know, I meant what I said last night and this morning. I love you." His tone growing serious. " I'm so thankful you came in my life when you did. You have changed everything for me. I can finally close that horrible chapter in my life and move on." Fresh tears started down her face again.

XXXXXX

Gabriella almost ran to Alice's apartment when she got home. She needed to talk to someone about what her dad had said, someone who knew Vincent as well as she did. She wasn't sure if she should tell him or not. She didn't know if it would change how he felt about her or his new found look on life. She didn't know how to tell him. When she reached her friend's door, she knocked hard and fast, calling out to her.

" Gabriella, what's the matter?" Alice asked she opened the door just a crack.

" Can I come in? I need to talk." Gabriella said.

" Ah, no. It's a mess but we can go for coffee." Alice suggested.

As the girls walked to the little coffee shop that was a block from their apartment building, Gabriella didn't say anything. She was terrified and lost in her own world. Would he pull away from her if he found out her dad killed Ashley? How could Shane keep that a secret for so long? Why hadn't he just told the police when he confessed to the other murders? She knew the answer to that.

" Is everything okay between you and Vincent?" Alice asked. They had ordered their coffee and were sitting the back. Gabriella started to cry again. Alice reached out and squeezed her hand. " Did you break up? You can tell me."

" We didn't break up. We are planning on moving in together when his lease is up. He told me he loves me." Alice frowned and took her hand back.

" And this makes you cry?" She asked. Gabriella shook her head and wiped at her eyes with a napkin.

" I told you about my dad, about the murders." She started after she took a shaky breath.

" Yes." Alice said. Gabriella look at her friend.

" He told me today that he murdered Vin's wife. Ashley was his last victim." Alice sat back in her chair as she let the information wash over her. " I don't know what to do. I don't know if I should tell Vincent or not. He told me today that he can finally close that chapter of his life, that I have helped him move on so now I'm scared that if I tell him he will fall back into that depression. What if he gets mad at me? What if he can't stay with his wife's murderer's daughter?" Already the wheels were turning in Alice's mind. She smiled and leaned forward. She started to stroke the top of Gabriella's hand.

" You mustn't tell him." She said quickly.

" I shouldn't?" Gabriella asked. " What if he finds out that I knew?"

" Will your dad tell anyone else?" Alice asked.

" No. He is ashamed of it. He is in there for life so he figures one more confession might give him death row so he won't tell."

" Then Vincent will never know. If you tell him, he will leave you. I know him. He will not be able to handle the truth. It is for the best if we keep this to ourselves." Alice said.

" Are you sure?" Gabriella asked. The idea of keeping it from him made her sick but what if Alice was right? She did know Vincent longer then Gabriella did.

" I am sure. He was so depressed when he first moved to the apartment building but since he found you, no more depression, ya? If you tell him, you will just throw him right back into that depressed state. No, we will keep this to ourselves." Alice said.

" Thank you, Alice." Gabriella said.

" Thank you to coming to me." Alice said as the girls hugged.

XXXXXX

" Gabriella?" Vincent called as he walked into his apartment after work.

" I'm in your room." She said as she laid across his bed. Vincent smiled and walked over to the bed. He slipped off his jacket and climbed in. He moved over her and let his weight pin her down.

" You feeling better, Babe?" He asked, sweeping his hand over her hair.

" A little." She said quietly.

" Just a little? Let's make some sandwiches and go and eat at the beach." Vincent said.

" It's cold." Gabriella said.

" Damn, you're right. I guess when we come home, I'll just have to warm you up...with my own heat." Gabriella smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck.

XXXXXX

Gabriella laughed as she raced down the beach with Vincent hot on her trail. The wind was cold but she didn't care. This was a game they played and it didn't take him long to catch her. He grabbed her by her waist, sending them both tumbling down to the sand. He flipped her over onto her back and buried his cold mouth into her neck as he gave her hips a hard and sharp thrust. She gasped in surprise when he sank his teeth into her shoulder.

" Time to get your sweet ass home." He growled. He jumped up, reached down and grabbed her by her upper arms. He yanked her up and over his shoulder, making her laugh again. " Is this how Daryl would carry you?" Gabriella pushed herself up so her hands were braced against his back.

" Yeah, that's how he carries me when he takes me to bed."

" That shit ain't funny." Vincent muttered as he started to stalk over to his truck.

" Wow, you kind of sound just like him." Gabriella said with a smile.

_* Yeah, I did it! I referenced The Walking Dead, Rick, Shane, Daryl, Boondocks, Murphy, and Norman all in one chapter! LOL*_


	10. Chapter 10

_* Please Review*_

" Babe!" Vincent's voice rang out through his apartment. It was one month before Vincent's lease was going to be up, two months since her dad confessed to Gabriella.

" In your room." She called out. It only took a another second before Vincent walked into his room. He took his coat off and tossed it on his bed.

" What are you doing?" He asked. She was standing on the right side of his bed with a thin plastic container.

" Well, you keep all your photo albums under your bed. I bought these containers today to keep them in instead. It will keep your albums safe from getting damaged." She said. Vincent sighed and walked over to her.

" We need to talk, Gabriella." He said. He took her hand and pulled her around the bed. She let him lead her out of his room and over to his couch in his living/dining/kitchen. They sat down next to each other. She could tell by the look on his face that something was wrong. He was pale and his hands were cold as he squeezed her.

" Vincent, you're scaring me." She said. He rubbed his lips together but wasn't looking at her.

" I got a phone call today from Detective Northman. He had been handling Ashley's case." Gabriella's stomach dropped. " Seems like someone called in a tip. The person said they knew who killed Ashley." He took a deep breath and looked at her. She swallowed hard.

" Who called?" She asked.

" They didn't give a name." Vincent said softly. He reached out and ran his hand through her hair. "The caller said the killer was Shane Welsh." Gabriella sat back as tears spring to her eyes. She hadn't seen or spoken to her dad since he confessed to her. " Northman is going to the jail today to speak with your dad. If he admits to killing her, he will go to death row." Gabriella closed her eyes. " I'm sorry, Baby." He said as he moved to hug her. He slipped his arms around her shoulders and squeezed her, rubbing her back. " I'm so sorry." He said.

" He did it." She said softly. Vincent frowned as he rubbed his cheek against the side of her face.

" What?" He asked. When she didn't say anything, he pulled away enough to look at her. " How do you know that?" Gabriella's small hands came up and wiped across her cheeks.

" On my last visit to him he told me Ashley was his last victim. He shot her, freaked out and went home. He confessed to some the killings that night to my mom but never said anything about Ashley." She said.

" And you didn't tell me?" Vincent asked in disbelief. Slowly his hands were slipping away from her.

" I didn't know what to say to you." She said. " And then I went and told Alice and..." Vincent jumped up quickly.

" You told Alice!" He yelled.

" Yeah, I didn't know what to do. She knows you bet.."

" Don't you dare say she knows me better then you do because that's a fucking lie and you should know it!" He yelled. " She doesn't know me at all! Everything she knows about me she learned by watching me through her window like a fucking freak! I told you to stay the fuck away from her! I can not believe you kept this from me!"

" Vincent, please, just listen to me." Gabriella said as she stood up.

" Listen to what, Gabriella! You kept this from me! This is huge! Do you even understand what this means!" He yelled.

" I didn't know how to tell you! I was stunned, I was shocked!" She said as she started to cry.

" You didn't know how to tell me? That's bullshit and you know it! We tell each other everything, at least I thought we did! This shit is huge!"

" Vincent..."

" Do you understand that you could be legal trouble if anyone finds out you knew about this and kept it from the police!" He yelled. Vincent put his hands on the top of his head and started pacing. He was swearing. " I can not believe you kept this from me!"

" Alice said.." She started but he cut her off when he whirled around to face her and exploded.

" I don't give a fuck what Alice said! Alice doesn't know anything about me! You know everything!" Gabriella sank down back onto the couch. " You should have told me!"

" Where are you going?" Gabriella asked in a sob when he turned from her.

" Out. I can not see you right now." He said, ripping his jacket off the chair. " I don't want to see you right now. Go home." He said before he stormed out of his apartment.

XXXXXX

Gabriella was running up the stairs that lead to the walkway connecting Alice's building to hers. She ran down the walking, turning the corner and ending up at Alice's apartment. Only one person could have called the tip line and given the police information and that was Alice. Gabriella hadn't told anyone else and she hadn't been back to see her dad since the visit where he unloaded his surprised.

" Alice!" She yelled as she banged on the door. " Open this fucking door!" It only took a few minutes before Alice opened her door, still only a crack.

" Gabriella, what can I do for you?" She asked. Gabriella pushed open the door and charged in.

" Why did you call the police!" She demanded as she faced Alice.

" Vincent needed to know." She said in her quiet accent.

" You fucking bitch!" Gabriella yelled as she turned around. " You said..." Her voice faded off as she started at the wall hidden from from Vincent's apartment. " What. The. Fuck. Is. This." She asked slowly, walking over to the floor.

It was covered with pictures of Vincent and some with him and Gabriella. He was in his truck, at work, going into stores, at the beach, everywhere. The pictures of him and Gabriella showed them eating dinner at places, walking together, at the beach with Vicky, kissing, hugging and holding hands. There was some of them inside Vincent's apartment, standing, hugging, sitting on the couch, only Gabriella's face was either cut or scratched out.

" Pictures." Alice said calmly.

" What is wrong with you?" Gabriella said, turning again to face Alice.

" Nothing is wrong with me. I love him, he will love me now that you are out of the way. Him and I are meant to be together." Alice said.

" You convinced me it was better for him to not know because you knew he would get upset with me." Gabriella said in disbelief. Alice smiled and nodded.

" Yes. And he will come into my arms once he finds out I am the one who delivered Ashley's killer to him. Me, not you. I knew he would be so angry with you for keeping it from him that it would push him right into my arms. And I was right. I saw the fight." She said.

" I thought you were my friend." Gabriella said.

" You thought wrong." Alice's calm manner overwhelmed Gabriella. She reacted before she could think. She crossed the small room and drilled her fist straight into Alice's mouth, knocking her backwards.

" Fuck you!" She yelled before she walked out.

XXXXXX

Gabriella waited in her apartment to see if he would come to her. She knew the minute he returned home because she heard him walk in and heard Vicky start to bark. He was pissed and she was going to let him cool off. She was going to let him come to her then she was going to tell him what happen and what she had found at Alice's apartment.

But a week went by and she heard nothing from him.


	11. Chapter 11

_* Please Review! __**Caffiend04**__: your reviews always make me laugh! *_

At the end of the week, Gabriella was walking up the stairs to the court house she hadn't visited since her dad's first hearing. He admitted to killing Ashley and another hearing was called. They weren't there to prove his guilt, but to decide what changes would be made to his life sentience. He was getting death. She knew it. He knew it. The judge knew it. Vincent knew it.

Vincent.

She hadn't seen him or heard from him since their fight. She heard him moving around in his apartment but she couldn't bring herself to go over to him. She had hurt him, cut him deep, and she needed to wait for him to forgive her and come to her. She knew she was going to see him in the court room and her heart was slamming in her chest.

She walked into the court room, taking a seat in the back, opposite of the defense. Vincent was in the front row and Gabriella knew he hadn't seen her yet. She was praying he wouldn't. She was thankful that he was alone. She had half expected Alice to be with him. She hadn't seen or heard from her former "friend" since she punched the woman in the mouth. Jonathan had told her Alice had broken up with him without an explanation.

When her dad was lead into the court room, shackled, his eyes swept across the people that were gathered and found her right away. Gabriella held her breath as images from her childhood started to play over and over again. Her eyes stung with tears and she hated him even more. His lawyer looked back and saw her too. He offered her an small, sad smile, catching Vincent's attention. He turned around and saw her as she ducked her head down. Gabriella didn't see him as he watched her wipe at her eyes. When she looked up again, he was facing forward again.

Shane had prepared a statement to read to the judge and was allowed to go to the witness stand. Tension swept through everyone but his statement was short and sweet. He asked for lethal injection, the sooner the better. He admitted that he was sick and would never stop killing. The need to take lives consumed him and he was tired of living with it. He looked at Vincent and said he was sorry. He asked Vincent to care for Gabriella the way she deserved. Vincent's eyes closed and dropped his head while Gabriella started to cry harder. Shane, seeing her tears, started to cry. He told her how sorry he was and how much he loved her and her mother. He hoped that one day she would be able to forgive him.

Gabriella slipped out of the room before the judgment was given. She didn't want to hear the date her father would be put to death. She needed air and needed it bad. Her stomach was rolling and she felt like at any minute she could just throw up. She picked up her pace, reaching the stairs to the court house doors quickly.

" Gabriella." Vincent's voice froze her. All the breath in her left her in a hard, hot rush. She closed her eyes but didn't turn around.

" I'm sorry." She said when she finally found her voice.

" I know." He said. She swallowed hard then turned around to face him with fresh tears coming down her cheeks. His hands were in the front pockets of his jeans. " I'm sorry too." She nodded. She covered her mouth to try and hold in her sobs. " I made a request to the judge. I asked him not to give your dad death."

" He wants it." Her voice was shaking and tear laced.

" I'm sorry I haven't been around. I just needed some time. I needed to think and figure out what I was thinking and was feeling." Vincent said.

" I understand." She said. Neither one spoke for a few minutes.

" Mr. Harris." One of the lawyers said from behind him. " We need you back inside." Vincent's frowned, his face as pain filled as hers. He turned around and looked at the lawyer.

" Can I have five minutes?" He asked.

" I'm afraid not. The Judge is going to make his ruling." Vincent sighed and turned to face her again. But she was gone.

Another week went by and Gabriella was finally returning to their building. She had come home from the court house, packed a bag and checked herself into a hotel. She needed a break. She took a leave from her work, explaining the situation to her boss and her boss alone. She turned her phone off and left it off. She still hadn't turned it back on when she reached the building. There was a moving truck outside the apartment building doors. Gabriella looked inside, feeling her stomach drop. Vincent was moving away.

Her steps were heavy and hard as she walked up the stairs slowly. A few men were passing her with boxes of Vincent's stuff in their arms. She kept her eyes down and hoped to be able to disappear into her apartment without seeing him. She just couldn't face him, knowing he was leaving her for good. She couldn't take the pain.

She managed to slip into her apartment quickly and quietly. She locked the door, tossed her bag on the floor and went to her bed. She laid across it and started to cry. Gabriella was so sick of crying. She had done nothing but cry for the past two weeks and was sick of it. But no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't stop the tears. A knock came to her door but she ignored it. She didn't care who it was. She pulled the blankets over her head then grabbed the pillow and held it over her head too. She was clutching it to her head when she felt some one's fingers touch her wrist. She jumped and threw the blankets off her. Vincent held his hands up.

" I didn't mean to scare you." He said softly. He was crouched down by her bed. " Where the hell have you been? I have been calling you, leaving you messages, texting. I went to your work but no one knew where you went. I kept coming over but you never came home." His face soften as he let his hands rest against her mattress. " I've been really worry, Babe." He finished up softly.

" I went to a hotel. I took some time off work." She said.

" You couldn't call me back, ever?" Vincent asked.

" I turned my phone off." Gabriella said. She sat up and pushed her hair from her face. He stood up so he could sit on the bed beside her. He held her key out to her.

" I need my key back." He said. She nodded, refusing to let her tears out.

" You're moving." She said.

" I am. I can't stay here. I went to Alice, to see if she called the police. Turns out, she did. She thought I'd just fall for her if she turned him in. She said she convinced you not to tell me so I'd break up with you and go to her." Yeah, it worked, Gabriella thought bitterly. " She has this wall in her apartment just covered with pictures of you and I. I went to the landlord. I told him I couldn't stay here and feel safe. She's fucking crazy." Vincent said.

" Are you leaving today?" She asked. Vincent nodded again and sighed. Gabriella dropped her eyes to the blanket as a fresh set of tears started.

" I bought a house, 20 miles from the city. Big yard, porch swing." He said. Gabriella closed her eyes and nodded. She felt Vincent lay his hand on top of hers. " There's room for my stuff...and yours." She looked up at him, feeling her breath leave her at once. " The land lord is releasing you from your lease on account of Alice's photos of us. I told him I didn't think it was safe for you either."

" You want me to come with you?" She whispered, making him smile. He swept his hand over to her cheek.

" That was our plan, wasn't it? If you still want too then I want you to come with me. If you can't because of me taking off for a week then I understand and I will do whatever it takes to make you want to be with me again, whatever it takes to help you understand how sorry I am. I just needed to wrap my head around everything." Vincent said. Gabriella closed her eyes and swallowed again. She sighed then looked at him.

" I want to come with you." She admitted, making him smile. " I won't keep anything from you again but you have to promise to not take off on me."

" I won't. It was stupid, I know. There were so many times I wanted to come over but the more time I spend away from you the harder it got. I was scared you were going to be mad at me for leaving. I thought you might scream or yell at me. Then when I saw you at the courthouse, I just needed to talk to you, even if you yelled."

" I needed a break, that was why I left. I didn't think I could come back and see you or her." Gabriella said.

" I guess we both needed to check out for a bit." Vincent said. He put his hand against the back of her neck and pulled her into him. They let their foreheads rest together. " Come with me to the house. We will unpack my stuff then come back with the boxes. I paid for the movers for two days. We will have them load up your big stuff tomorrow but tonight we will move the boxes." She nodded.

" Okay." She said. Vincent smiled.

" I love you." Vincent said. She took a hold of his shirt.

" I love you too." He grinned as he pulled away from her.

" Come on, Babe. I can't wait to show you this place. I found it by accident and the owners took my first offer. It has been empty for six months and he needed to unload it. I got lucky." He said.

XXXXXX

Vincent held her against him, surrounded by boxes of her things, in the middle of their new living room. He was holding her by her ass while her arms were around his neck. They were kissing slow, turning their heads in opposite directions while their tongues moved against each other. They had brought all her little things with them and were going back to her place in the morning. The house had two bedrooms and a finished basement. They were feeling excited and relieved to be away from Alice and back in each other's arms.

But she was there, watching. She waited three years for him, she could wait a little longer.


	12. Chapter 12

* _Please Review!*_

When Vincent pulled up to their new house the next night, he could see Gabriella moving around in their living room. He crossed his arms over his steering wheel as he watch her pull things out a box. She was hanging up pictures and putting things away. He couldn't help but smile. It felt right to see her things with his, to see her moving around in a house he had bought. In the morning they were going to the bank so he could add her name to the house deed. Then the house would be offically be theirs.

He sighed and let his chin come to rest on his arms. He had loved Ashley, he knew that, but he loved Gabriella in a different way. He had never wanted children with Ashley. Kids just hadn't been something he was ever into but that had changed. He could see Gabriella and himself having a couple of babies, maybe a cat or another dog. The thought surprised him. Six months into their relationship and he was thinking about kids? He started to laugh as he got out of his truck. Yeah, this girl had him wrapped around her tight.

" Babe?" He called out as he walked into the house.

" Living room." She said.

" Hi Vicky." He said as he rubbed the top of the dog's head while he passed her. He took his jacket off and tossed it on the couch. Gabriella looked across the room at him and smiled.

" Hi." She said. Vincent grinned.

" Hi." He said, coming forward. He took a hold of her upper arms and leaned down to kiss her. Gabriella's own hands came to his sides at the same time his lips brushed against hers. " Hi." He whispered.

" Hi." She whispered. He grinned again as he pulled away.

" What are you doing?" He asked, squeezing her arms before letting her go.

" Just putting things away. I made dinner, you hungry?" She asked.

" Yeah but I'm freezing too." He said, grabbing her again. Gabriella laughed as he hugged her tightly. "We have that big ass tub in our bathroom, a fireplace we haven't tried out so..."

" Why do I feel like you are hinting at something?" Gabriella asked as he rubbed his face into her hair.

" I'm not hinting." He said. " Let's eat, take a nice bath with those jets, start a fire, then you can let me ravish you." Vincent said.

XXXXXX

After dinner, Gabriella was drawing them a bath while Vincent was taking Vicky for a walk around their back yard. Gabriella pulled her hair up into a bun then added some bubbles to the bath. She stripped down her clothes then climbed into their large tub. She laid her head back and had her arms resting on either side of the tub. She closed her eyes and sighed.

" Oh shit." Vincent's soft curse made her smile. " Now this is how I'd like you to greet me every night." Gabriella laughed and raised her head up to look at him.

" Are you coming in?" She purred to him.

He started stripping off his clothes as fast as he could, making her smile. He pushed Vicky out of the room, then shut the door. He walked over to the tub and took off his boxers. She moved so he could climb in behind her. His arms went around her shoulders and he pulled her back into his chest. Gabriella closed her eyes and brought her hands to his thighs as he started to rub his knuckles up and down her arms.

" I think we should talk about your dad." Vincent said softly.

" Really? When we're naked and in a bubble bath?" She asked. " I know you want to do other things. You're hard as hell." Vincent laughed.

" Yeah, of course I am. But I need to ask you some things and tell you other things." He said. He brushed his lips against the side of her head. She sighed deeply.

" What?" She asked as she made sure to rub her ass against his hardness.

" Stop it." Vincent said through gritted teeth, making her laugh again but she stilled her moments.

" Alright. Say it." She said.

" The judge gave your dad death. After she announcement her judgment, she called me into her chambers. She asked me what I thought about it. I told her that if if she was dead set on that then I thought to lessen every one's pain he should be put to death quickly." Gabriella sighed again.

" And?" She asked quietly.

" And he is scheduled for lethal injection in a month. We are allowed to go and watch."

" No." She said quickly as she shook her head. " I saw my mother died, I don't need to see him too."

" Do you want to see him before it happens? We can go and you could have some closure." Vincent offered.

" No. I don't want to see him." Gabriella said.

" I think you need to think about that, Babe. Just give it a few days to think because once he's gone, he's gone." Vincent said. Gabriella pulled away and looked at him.

" How could you go and see him after what he did to you? How could you be in the same room with him?" She asked.

" I couldn't by myself. I don't want too. I don't want to hear anything he has to say but if you need to, or you want to, then I want to be there for you. I don't want you to have to go through it alone. I can put that aside if you need me." He reached through the water and took a hold of her. He pulled her back to him. He turned her around and held her too him. " I just want you to take some think and really think about this. This is huge. I don't want you to go through life with regret. Maybe you could just write him a note if you don't think you can see him. So just think about it, for me."

" I'll think about it but I know for sure I don't want to see him die. I just can't." She said, closing her eyes again. Vincent started rubbing her arms again and let his head some to rest against the side of hers again.

" I'm only asking you to think, Babe." He said softly. She was quiet again for a few minutes.

" How is he going to die? Is he going to suffer? I know he deserves to but..." Her voice faded off.

" He won't suffer. The judge said they will start an IV on him then inject him with three different kinds of medicine. One of the medications will put him to sleep. The second one will slow his heart then stop it. The third one will stop his breathing. The whole thing will take about 15 minutes." He said softly. She swallowed hard but nodded. He moved his head to look at her profile. Her eyes were shut but she was crying. He wrapped his arms around her. When she tensed up, he squeezed her. " It's okay to cry." He said.

" I just don't understand him. We did everything when I was growing up. He took me camping, fishing, I just don't understand what happen to him. He was supposed to walk me down the aisle." She said.

" He's sick, Babe. He knows it. He admitted it. He doesn't really understand how it happen either." Vincent said. Gabriella wiped her cheeks and took a shaky breath.

XXXXXX

Alice watched them through her binoculars while she frowned. Vincent was sitting on the

couch with Gabriella over him. He was holding tight onto her hips, moving her up and down him. Alice narrowed her eyes as his head fell back on the couch. His eyes were shut and his mouth was open. She couldn't see Gabriella's face but she was gripping his shoulders hard. Vincent was hot and hard as he disappeared inside her then reappeared again.

When he started picking up their pace, he flipped them over so she was laying on the couch with him over her. He had one leg bent on the couch with the other on the floor. Her hands went over her head to grab the arm of the couch while he pumped into her hard. He was holding her hips still. Alice held her breath as she watched him work. His stomach was tight and he was more build then she had thought. She smiled as she flushed. Soon she would know what it felt like to have him moving above her. Soon she would be the one to ran her nails down his chest.

XXXXXX

Gabriella was warm and comfortable as she laid sandwich between Vincent and Vicky. He was laying against her back with his arm around her waist while Vicky was curled up against her stomach. Both were sleeping peacefully. Gabriella had her eyes closed and was smiling. This was what she had always wanted for herself but never thought she would ever have because of Shane. She wasn't sure if she could see him or even want too but Vincent had asked her to think about it and she would. She understood what he was saying. Once Shane was gone, he was gone for good. She sighed and started to stroke Vicky. Vincent nestled his face into her hair more, bring the smile back to her.


	13. Chapter 13

* _Please Review! Sorry. I had a rough couple of days.*_

' I'm getting off early. How about I bring you some lunch?' Vincent's text message rang through. Gabriella smiled down at her phone.

' Okay. Come at noon.' She sent back.

' See you then. I love you.'

' I love you too.' She sent quickly.

Gabriella's day went slow. Knowing Vincent was home made it drag. She just wanted it over with so she could be with him. She had made up her mind about her dad and wanted to share what she was thinking with him. She also knew Vincent was picking up her favorite wine and making her favorite dinner. She loved it when he cooked for her.

' I will be a little late. Last minute meeting. I will be home at six.' She sent him. She hadn't heard from him in an hour but she wasn't worried. She knew he was cooking.

' Okay Honey.'

' Honey? That's new.' She sent him.

' Just trying it out.' His message read.

When Gabriella pulled down the long driveway to their house, she noticed the lights in the house were off. She frowned and grabbed her phone from her bag as she shut her car off. Vincent's truck was in front of the house so she knew he was home. If he had taken Vicky for a walk he would have still left a light on inside so she would know everything was fine. Gabriella frowned as she sent him a text message.

' What's going on?' She sent out.

' Just wanted to surprised you, sweetheart. Come in.' His message read. Gabriella gripped her bag and went out of her car. She was still frowning as she walked up the steps to their house.

' Where are you?' She sent out.

' Inside.' Gabriella put her phone into her pocket and opened their front door.

" Vin?" She called out into the dark room.

When she didn't hear anything, she closed the door quietly. Her heart was pounding as she walked through the house. Vicky wasn't barking and hadn't come to greet her. Her stomach was hurting her. Something wasn't right. She wanted to call out to him again but was scared. She set her bag down on the couch as she passed it. She was making her way to the back of the house, where the kitchen was. She was holding her breath and listening to the sounds of the house. There was nothing.

When she reached the kitchen door she saw Vincent sitting in a chair in the middle of the room. She frowned because his head was down. She started towards him then. The closer she got, she could see that he wasn't sitting in the chair, he was tied to it. She rushed forward and sank to her knees in front of him. Vincent's eyes were shut.

" Vincent?" She whispered as she reached up and pushed the hair from his face. He had a gag in his mouth that was tied behind his head. She reached around and untied the gag. " Vincent, look at me, please?" She asked, her voice shaking with tears. She touched his face but was still getting nothing out of him.

" He's fine." Alice's voice made her jump up. Gabriella spun around, putting herself in between Vincent and Alice.

" What did you do to him?" She asked quickly. Alice smiled and pulled a bat out from behind her back.

" Nothing he wouldn't live through." She said with a dismiss of her hand.

" What do you want from us?" Gabriella asked.

" I don't want anything from you. I want him." Alice said.

" You were the one texting me, weren't you?" Gabriella asked.

" I had too. If he hadn't answered you, you would have known something was going on."

Vincent moaned from behind Gabriella. Her eyes shifted away from Alice for a second and a second was all Alice need. When Gabriella looked back up Alice was swing her bat. Gabriella's arm threw up but the bat hit her in the side, knocking the wind out of her. Gabriella stumbled off to the side as she tried to clutch her ribs. Alice raised up her bat again to take the advantage of Gabriella struggling to breath.

" Alice, don't!" Vincent called out. His voice was shaky and his head was pounding. Alice paused with the bat in the air.

" Why not!" Alice yelled. " You don't need her! I'm the one who waited for you, not her! I'm the one who waited and watched after you! She moves into the building and you push me out the door! You don't need her!" Gabriella grabbed a hold of the counter and forced herself to stand despite the pain in her side.

" I'll be with you, just don't hurt her." Vincent said. " Untie me and you and I will leave. We'll leave her here, go back to your place and live there together." He said. His voice was slow and his words were drawn out. He closed his eyes and swallowed hard. " My fucking head hurts, Alice. Help me, please." He opened his eyes and tried to plead with her. Slowly she lowered her bat until it came to the ground.

" I'm sorry, Vincent. I had to knock you out. You wouldn't let me in if I haven't." She said slowly.

" I know. I didn't it before hand, but I get it now. You have just been waiting for me this whole time. It's beautiful." He said. Alice smiled.

" It was, wasn't it?" She asked, coming forward. She seemed to have forgotten about Gabriella who went still. Alice moved all the way over to Vincent. She set her bat on the floor and placed her hands on Vincent's knees. " I love you, Vincent." He was breathing heard as he nodded slowly.

" I know you do. Untie me, please. We'll bag my clothes up and leave." He said softly. Alice laid her head down on his lap and smiled. Vincent's eyes shifted up to Gabriella then to the bat. Gabriella nodded and took a deep breath as she started forward. Vincent dropped his eyes to Alice. Gabriella reached down and slipped the bat away from Alice's side. She took a step back and started to lift the bat up. "Untie me, please, Alice." Alice lifted her head up and looked up at him.

" And you will leave with me?" She asked. Vincent forced a smile.

" Yeah. We will go to your place and you can clean up my head. I'm pretty sure I have a concussion. You hit me pretty hard." He said.

" I had too." She said.

" And so did I." Gabriella said before she swung the bat straight into Alice's back. She slumped down onto Vincent's lap.

" Good job, Baby! Untie me then call the police." He said. Gabriella pushed Alice to the side then dropped the bat. She walked around him and reached down to untie him.

" I think that fucking bitch broke my ribs." She said.

" She cracked my head open so maybe we can get a hospital bed beside each other." Vincent said, closing his eyes again. Gabriella's hands were shaking as she quickly untied the rope around his wrists.

" Don't pass out on me." She said.

" I'm fine, Baby, just hurry. Okay?" He said.

When he felt the ropes slip from him, he brought his arms to the front of him and started rubbing his wrists. Gabriella stood up straight and went around to the front of Vincent as he stood up. He took a hold of her and they hugged tightly. He brushed his lips against her temple as she squeezed him, both taking a moment to enjoy each other.

" Are you alright?" Vincent whispered.

" I'm fine. Let's just go and call the police outside." She said.

When they pulled away, Gabriella bent over and grabbed the bat. They kept their arms around each other as they made their way towards the door. Gabriella took her phone out and quickly dialed 911. She reported the break-in and attack, gave their address and hung up. The 911 operator wanted her to stay on the line but Gabriella was suddenly very tired. The pain in her ribs were increasing with every step they took.

" Fucking bitch!"

They heard Alice scream a second before she pushed Gabriella away and stabbed Vincent in the left shoulder. Vincent yelled and started to fall forward. Gabriella dropped her phone and gripped the bat with both hands. She swung without thinking. The bat made contact with the side of Alice's head. A sicken crunch was heard as Vincent fell to his knees. Alice's hands came to her injured face while a look of shock went over her face. Gabriella swung again, knocking Alice down to her ass. Gabriella brought the bat up a second before she swung down as hard as she could, hitting Alice on the top of her head.

" Gabriella!" Vincent called out. Alice fell on her back with blood pooling around her head. Her eyes were open and staring straight ahead. Gabriella was breathing hard and crying without realizing it. It was her turn to fall onto her knees. Her arms were limp at her sides. " Gabriella!" She shook her head and looked over at Vincent. Blood was dripping from his shoulder. He was on his hands and knees, sweat pouring off him. She moved to him quickly.

" Oh my God!" She cried. She gently touched him. " Vin!"

" She stabbed me." He said, shaking his head in disbelief. Gabriella's hands were flat on his back as sirens started in the background.

" What should I do?" Gabriella asked.

" Where is she?" Vincent asked. Gabriella closed her eyes and shook her head.

" I think I killed her." She said.

XXXXXX

Vincent was strapped to the gurney and was being loaded into an ambulance about a half house later. The paramedics had bandaged up his shoulder and checked over his head. Gabriella climbed into the back with his and they clasped hands tightly. She was pale and had stopped openly but silent tears were still slipping down her cheeks.

" Look at me." Vincent said. Gabriella's eyes were wide and he was scared she was going into shock.

" She's dead." She said softly.

" I know, it's okay." Vincent said, squeezing her hands. " Come closer to her." He said. Gabriella moved as close to the bed as she could. She laid her head against his chest and they fell quiet as they rode to the hospital.


	14. Chapter 14

* _Please Review! I am thinking about doing another Tough Luck story. What do you guys think?*_

Gabriella sat beside Vincent in his hospital bed, rubbing his arm with one hand, holding his hand with the other. He was smiling at her while they talked quietly. The doctors had stitched up the stab wound, telling him he was lucky she hadn't actually damaged anything. He had a scan done of his head. There was no brain damage or bleeding inside his skull but he did have a concussion. The detective that worked Ashley's case, Det Northman, had been called in to handle their case. He was talking with the other doctors and police. When he gathered enough information about what happen he walked into Vincent's hospital room.

" Well for right now it looks like a case of self defense." He started, making them look at him. Vincent gripped her hand hard. " As of right now we are not pressing any charges against Gabriella and I don't see that we will. Because Alice is dead there will be a more deeper investigation though. I don't want you to be worried. How are you feeling, Vincent?" He asked.

" Ready to go home." Vincent said. Northman nodded with a slight smile.

" Well after we took photographs of everything and collected the evidence, I had the blood cleaned up so you don't have to worry about that." He said.

" Thanks, man." Vincent said. Northman turned his ice blue eyes on Gabriella.

" I never got to meet you but I followed your dad's case and I have worked hard on Ashley's. Why I'm glad we were able to close it and give Vincent some closure, I'm sorry it was at your family's expense." Vincent's fingers started to rub against hers.

" It's okay." Gabriella said softly. Northman reached into the upper pocket of his jacket. He pulled out a card and reached across the bed to hand it to her.

" Here is the card to someone we work with who helps victims families. If you ever want to talk, or feel the need to, give her a call." He said. Gabriella took the card and nodded.

" Thank you." She said. Northman nodded then looked back at Vincent.

" I hear they are getting ready to let you go. We will be in touch, maybe not tomorrow but within the next few days." He said.

" Thanks." Vincent said. With a brief wave, Northman walked out of the room.

XXXXXX

A few days later:

" Hey." Vincent said as he walked into their room. He leaned against the door frame, watching as Gabriella put their freshly washed clothes away.

" Hey." She said without looking up.

" I just got a call from Northman." Vincent said. He started walking towards their bed.

" Oh yeah? Am I still free?" Gabriella asked. Vincent smiled and sat down on their bed.

" Yeah, you are. They went into her apartment and saw all those picture she had of us. And, as it turns out, she is wanted in her country for stalking and harassment." Vincent kicked off his shoes then climbed higher up the bed.

" Why the hell does that not surprise me." Gabriella muttered, putting one of Vincent's shirts away. Vincent smiled and laid down. His hands went to his pants.

" So Northman said they are closing the case and no charges are being filled." He said.

" Great." She said.

" I'm thinking we should celebrate." He said.

" You want to go out to eat or something?" She asked without turning around.

" Oh I want to eat something." He said with a smirk. Gabriella turned around to see him grinning with his pants and boxers down around his ankles. He was kicking his legs to push them all the way off. Gabriella smiled.

" What is this?" She asked.

" Come on." He patted his chest. " Climb on. Let me have a taste of you then you can slide that hotness down me and ride us straight into heaven." Gabriella started to laugh but was walking towards the bed.

She took a hold of his pants and boxers and pulled them the rest of the way off his legs, dropping them to the ground. Vincent was all grins as she crawled onto the bed. She let her hands trail up his legs while she smiled up on him. She was moving as slowly as she could and his dick jumped with excitement. She dipped her head down and sucked his balls into her mouth.

" No, I'm supposed to taste you." He said. But his eyes were closed and his voice was breathless. When she started to lift her head again, she let his balls slip from her mouth, pulling a loud groan from him. He grabbed the blanket and pulled.

" So you want me to stop then?" She asked.

" Oh hell no..." He moaned out at the same time she ran the tip of her tongue up his length. "No...no...no." Her tongue swirled around his head before she took him completely into her mouth. His hands came to her hair. He thread his fingers through it and pulled it slightly. He lifted his head up and opened his eyes. When she his eyes his mouth fell open. " Fucking shit, Babe, that's so hot." She moved down him then slowing back up again. His head dropped down to the bed and he moaned out loud.

She stayed on him, licking against him and moving down then up him until Vincent thought he was going to explode. He grabbed her under her arms and yanked her up hard. He flipped them over, making her giggle. He grabbed her pants and started undoing them quickly. Vincent yanked them down then moved to her panties.

" I'm sorry, Babe. I return the favor tonight, I promise. I'm just too hard right now." He said, tossing her panties across the room. " I need you, right fucking now." He spread her legs, grabbed her hips and pulled her up onto his lap.

" It's okay." She whispered.

Her eyes were shut at the same time he moved inside her.

XXXXXX

Vincent was laying with his head against her chest and his eyes shut. They were covered in sweat and panting hard. Gabriella was running her hands through his hair. She had one hand at his forehead and the other at the base of his neck. They were gliding through his hair and meeting in the middle then coming back out again.

" I'm going to see Shane next Monday." Gabriella said. Vincent nestled his cheek into her chest and sighed.

" Do you want to come? I can't really work until these stitches come out." He said.

" Okay but I think I should see him alone. I'm sure you don't want to see him." She said.

" I don't but it's not about me, Gabriella. It's about you and if you need me there, I'm going." He said. Gabriella smiled.

" You know, you're kind of good for me." She said, making him laugh.

" You're kind of good for me too." He said.

XXXXXX

Vincent was leaning against his truck when she came out of the prison after her visit. Her arms were crossed over her chest and her head was down. He smiled and pushed away from the truck before he started towards her. When she looked up at him, he could tell she had been crying. He moved forward with his hands in his pockets. When they reached each other he wrapped her up into his arms and held her tight.

" You okay, Baby?" He whispered into her hair as he rubbed her back. She nodded and sighed, squeezing his waist.

" Let's just go home, please." She whispered.

" Are you coming back to see him?" Vincent asked.

" No. We said our goodbyes and it's done. He asked me not to come anymore. He cried, I cried and that was it." Gabriella said. " It's time to move forward." Vincent nodded and turned her. He kept his arm around her shoulders as they started towards the truck.

" With me. You need to move forward with me." He said, her head coming to chest against his chest.

" Yeah. That's the plan." She said.

The end!


End file.
